I remember having technical troubles submitting this review, so it's now been a while since I read it. I do recall it being a thoroughly readable, accessible history; I don't read a lot of these types of books but was specifically interested in More after reading some of his own writings (and because what English schoolchild doesn't know a ridiculous amount about the Tudors?). I have had it on my list to get more of Guy's books because I found his way of approaching the subject warm and engaging.

Very brief indeed... 2½ stars

According to A Man for All Seasons, Thomas More was a man of principle, willing to sacrifice his life rather than compromise his beliefs. Hilary Mantel's portrayal of him in Wolf Hall gives an alternative view, of a man who was happy to burn heretics, sarcastic and cruel to those around him, and something of a misogynist. In this truly very brief history, John Guy tries to reveal the real man behind the myths.

My existing knowledge was that More was Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor during Henry's attempt to ditch Katherine of Aragon in favour of Anne Boleyn; that More drew the line when Henry decided to ditch the Catholic Church, too, and declare himself the Supreme Head of the Church in England; and that for his defiance, More was executed. Oh, and that he wrote a book called Utopia, which I haven't read. And tortured and burned heretics, although of course he wasn't alone in enjoying that sport.

Sadly, once I had read this, I found that my existing knowledge hadn't really expanded much at all. The book runs to 144 small pages, including notes, etc. I was reading the e-book, but at a guess I'd say 100-110 pages of text maximum, during which Guy romps through his life, discusses the writing and history of Utopia, talks about the portrayal of him in art following his death and in literature more recently, and finishes up with his route to sainthood. When I tell you that More dies at the 40% mark, you will be able to tell that the book doesn't go into much depth regarding his life.

Guy always writes well and Thomas More has been a subject of study with him for many years, so there's no doubt of the scholarship. But truthfully the biography section is so superficial as to be almost pointless, unless one literally knows nothing about More going in. (Which begs the question: why then would you be motivated to read the book in the first place?) And the rest reads like the epilogue to a biography – the kind of thing that historians put in as a last chapter to round the thing off.

Some of it is quite interesting, like the fact that Marx adopted Utopia as a socialist text and as a result there was a statue to commemorate More along with other great socialists in the USSR. Or that his sainthood only came through in 1935, by which time one would have hoped that the Catholic Church might have stopped sanctifying heretic-burners. (Mind you, Wikipedia tells me the Anglican Church recognised him as a martyr of the reformation in 1980, so look out anyone who doesn't conform to Anglicanism – the days of burning may not be as far behind us as we thought!) It is mildly amusing in a surreal kind of way that in 2000, Pope John Paul II made him the patron saint of politicians...

Which brings me neatly to my conclusion – it grieves me to say it since I've been an admirer of John Guy's work for years but, frankly, reading the Wikipedia page on More is just about as informative as this book. I guess very brief histories just aren't my kind of thing. Guy wrote a longer biography of More some years ago (although still only 272 pages, according to Goodreads), so I may read that some day to see if it's more satisfying. 2½ stars for me, so rounded up.

NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, SPCK.

Was Thomas More the wise man who died rather than disobey his conscience as portrayed in A Man For All Seasons or the fanatical heretic burner of "Wolf Hall"? Perhaps he was both?

I though that this was a biography of Thomas More and, indeed, John Guy does relate his life story. However, the purpose of the book is really to examine his legacy and the different versions of his actions. Guy examines More's writing, especially Utopia, portraits of More, and his canonization, for example. I found the account of his canonization and the English attitude to it especially interesting. Some of the book was rather dry - I would have preferred a biography.

This is well-worth reading for anyone interested in Tudor history.

This was a concise but wonderfully detailed book that explored both More's life and the legacy he left behind. Guy is an excellent historian and I will definitely read some of his other works.

Eminent historian John Guy has produced a short and incisive treatise on Thomas More. More is known as the advisor to Henry VIII who was executed rather than swear allegiance to Henry as Head of the Church in England, he is also known as the author of a number of works, particularly 'Utopia' a description of an idealised society. Whether one's view of More is that of 'A Man For All Seasons' or that of 'Wolf Hall' there is much about the man to admire.

Guy has used the restricted length of this book to his advantage, splitting his work into three sections. Having read Guy's previous biography of More's daughter, Margaret, I was satisfied with the short biographical section which was detailed enough. Following that is a look as More's writings, focusing mainly on 'Utopia', and finally there is a look at More's legacy, both in terms of his story and also the view of him as a religious figure. As ever, Guy's work is scrupulously researched but also very readable.

As a History graduate I have read my fair share of History books. For awhile I avoided them like the plague but more recently I have began to yearn to learn more. Afterall there is so much History, even holding a degree in it doesn't cover nearly as much History as I think others believe.
I admit I knew very little about Thomas More so was keen to learn more. I'm a big fan of these short History books as it helps the reader to learn the vitals without feeling overwhelmed.
This was informative but incredibly accessible which I feel is so important in nonfiction reads. I have read so many heavy and dense books about incredibly fascinating periods in time but felt bored to tears.
This was excellent and I've gone away knowing a really good amount about More.

History has left us so many Thomas Mores - the principled objector; the humanist; the saint; the idealistic author of Utopia; the burner of heretics. How can we find our way through the mire? Fortunately this short, lucid and lively book offers a crash course in all things More - and our guide is one of the world's foremost Tudor historians. John Guy has spent his whole career working on this period and has already published two books on More, so you know you're in safe hands here. More importantly, he writes in a very accessible way: this is not an academic tome but a light, brisk introduction to a major figure in British history. At only 144 pages, the book is further broken down into sections: first a standard biography, giving the details of More's life, and then chapters exploring More's afterlife in art and fiction, as well as following the lengthy campaign for his canonisation.

Nowadays, Thomas More comes most readily to mind as the former friend and adviser who dared to stand up against Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn. But there was so much more to him than that (no pun intended). He was devoutly religious, but saw his place as an active member of the world rather than as a contemplative in a cloister. He was a trained lawyer, sharp and just and attentive to every detail, which also made him an excellent diplomat. He was passionately interested in the new 'Greek learning' which was coming out of Italy, thanks to the researches of Marsilio Ficino and Poggio Bracciolini in Florence. Indeed, he may have seen in the young Henry VIII the potential for a philosopher king of the sort heralded by Plato: a man to herald a new age. More embodied the central debate in Renaissance philosophy: how to blend admiration for pre-Christian writers with a deep loyalty to the Church. And, when it came to the crux, More chose his faith over his Plato. As Europe shattered along the faultlines of the Reformation, More devoted himself to rooting out the new heresy in England, which was not only a personal conviction (Guy notes) but positively required of him in his increasingly senior advisory roles. For those of us who'd like to see More as an English version of his friend Erasmus, it's unsettling to read More's assertion that 'the burning of heretics... is lawful, necessary and well done'. We don't want our intellectual hero to have blood on his hands. Nor did Erasmus. But we have to allow More to be in and of his time, and that's where Guy's book is particularly good - in introducing us to this complex, conflicted man on his own terms.

Succinct, fair and eminently reliable, this is a great way to encounter More for the first time.

For the full review, due to be published on 13 February 2017, please see the link below:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/02/13/thomas-more-john-guy

Thank to NetGallery and SPCK publisher for preview.

A good introduction to Thomas More's life. Clear, but not trivial.
The first part focuses on the life and writings of the philosopher, concerning in particular the book "Utopia".
The second part, however, discusses the inheritance of More: the legacy of his writings, his presence in art, the process of his canonization.
It's interesting especially the part about More's presence in movies and TV series.
Signed as to be seen "A Man for All Seasons", and to be read Mantel's "Wolf Hall".

Buona introduzione alla vita di Thomas More. Chiara, ma non banale.
La prima parte si concentra sulla vita e gli scritti, soffermandosi in particolare su "Utopia".
La seconda, invece, tratta dell'eredità di More: negli scritti, nell'arte, il suo processo di canonizzazione.
Interessante soprattutto la parte riguardante in film e le serie tv sul tema.
Segno come da vedere: "Un uomo per tutte le stagioni" e da leggere: Mantel "Wolf Hall".